Modest Mouse

Your 2013 Houston Record Store Day Rundown

Your financial situation be damned, Record Store Day 2013 is coming this Saturday, April 20, to drain your wallet of life and those little green pieces of paper. This Saturday your dance card should be full with all the major indie record stores in Houston and the surrounding areas offering up giv ... More >>

Why Has the Strokes' Comeback Tanked?

The great hope of rock and roll critics at the start of the 21st century, the Strokes, released their newest record Comedown Machine last month. It was met with the sort of lukewarm reviews that the band has been receiving for years now; about the greatest compliment anyone can give it is that "it's ... More >>

ACL 2013: What's Next For Texas' Other Big Music Festival?

As we close the books on ACL's 2012 festivities, full of mud -- but not too much mud, Iggy Pop's elastic skin, Neil Young's reverb, and light shows aplenty, we look forward to the 2013 edition of the Austin megafest. Rewind: ACL Festival Expanding to 2 Weekends in 2013 Rocks Off's Complete ACL 2 ... More >>

The Top 10 Weirdest U.S. No. 1 Hits

It's not often that the pop charts will surprise you. After all, the average consumer in most countries doesn't have time to delve too deep into an artist's catalogue. They don't often pick up on songs that will stand the test of time. They like the ephemera record labels tell them is hot right now. ... More >>

Saturday Night: Dr. Dog At Fitzgerald's

Dr. Dog Fitzgerald's March 10, 2012 Houston weather was balmy and wet Saturday night, but that didn't stop Philadelphia harmonic rockers Dr. Dog from sporting their trademark wintry wool beanies and shades. Kicking off their set with the "That Old Black Hole" from this year's Be the Void, the ban ... More >>

The Hype Machine: Top 10 Indie Buzz Bands You May Have Forgotten

So you're a hipster. Not you specifically. I would never accuse the great Rocks Off readers of being hipsters. But hypothetically, say you're a hipster. How do you choose your favorite bands? Well, you stroll on over to any indie-rock blog and check out all the latest buzz bands obviously. The probl ... More >>

Bartender Chat: Brant Miller of Royal Oak

This week, I stopped into Royal Oak to chat with Brant, a.k.a. "The Marshall." Inspired by some Civil War documentaries he had been watching a few weeks ago, Brant cultivated a mustache and chops, adorned his vest with a badge, and got behind the bar. He said that as the night wore on, folks started ... More >>

Cheerleader

St. Vincent's Annie Clark went "off the grid" to craft new album Strange Mercy.

The 20 Best Tribute Albums Of All Time

Hootie covered Zeppelin!? '90s U So Crazy!​This year alone has seen a multitude of tribute albums, from two Buddy Holly lovefests to the upcoming ZZ Top tribute set from a very motley crew of artists, including Nickelback, Daughtry, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals (yum), and Wyclef Jean. Let t ... More >>

Out Today: Beyonce's 4 Is Square, Limp Bizkit Chokes The Cobra

What is this I don't even....​This week in new releases sees is one of the most varied in months, with new discs by Beyonce, Limp Bizkit, Dolly Parton, and Thievery Corporation hitting shelves and digital outlets today. By far though, the sexiest album cover is the Beyonce art for 4, and the m ... More >>

Portuguese Men of War

The Walkmen jump-start their momentum on Lisbon.

Last Night: Broken Social Scene At Warehouse Live

Photos by Jody Perry​Broken Social Scene, Zeus Warehouse Live February 17, 2011 Broken Social Scene's music is both simple and catchy and speckled with intricacies. It manages to be indie enough for even the hippest of hipsters to enjoy - at least we assume so; we haven't checked Pitchfork - ... More >>

Lupe Fiasco: Four Ways He Will Write A Song About You

​Balls-deep in that miry slough of disappointment that seems to befall every major artist who wants to change the world, Lupe Fiasco has been in a controlled rage lately. That can only mean one thing: His next album will boast songs about anyone who so much as snickers at him. But poking the ... More >>

Still Fun Fun Fun, Festival Is On The Cusp Of Change

Photos by Marc Brubaker​Miss the bands in Austin this weekend? See as many as we could squeeze into our handy slideshow. Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin is on the cusp of change. A renovation to its home base, Waterloo Park, is due within the next year, so come next November the festival more than ... More >>

5 Songs That Are No Day At The Beach

This past weekend, Craig's Hlist spent a good solid two days at the beach playing in the surf down off Mustang Island just south of Corpus Christi. It was one of those mental-health weekends that if we hadn't have taken, we would have ended up throwing beer bottles against the wall at an old folks' ... More >>

Indian Jewelry, Future Islands And Friends Wave The Red Flag

Photos by Matthew KeeverIndian Jewelry​ At 10 p.m. Saturday night, Aftermath made our way into Mango's. It was hardly half full, but by the time Indian Jewelry took the stage a little before 1 a.m., we couldn't move. Not that we'd want to, of course, but even if we had wanted to leave, we woul ... More >>

Wrong Number

Houston's Miss Leslie dials up more honky-tonk homilies on her new CD.

Inquiring Minds: The World Of Ghost Mountain

​Tomorrow night at Walter's On Washington, three Houston bands throw down their first gigs of 2010. For Roky Moon & Bolt they have a new album in the offing and the future seems pretty clear cut. They are riding into this new year with quite an amount of steam behind them from most all the mus ... More >>

Walter's on Washington Leaves Its Namesake Avenue Behind.

Moving on up!

Sounds of the Universe

Synth-pop icons Depeche Mode do read their reviews.

This Will Destroy You, Unwed Sailor

Ambient and/or progressive fans will find plenty to like with these two instrumental groups

Eugene Mirman, with Woozyhelmet, the Slurpees, Andy Blitz and Langhorne Slim

Friday, June 3, at Mary Jane's Fat Cat, 4216 Washington Avenue, 713-869-5263.

Rock Radio (and Rock Romano) Redux

Bo knows good rock when he sees it. Do Houston radio programmers?

Radio Daze

One man, one jambox and four walls. For 24 hours.

Playbill

Midtown Honky-tonkin'

Trains and the vintage sounds of the Swank Countrypolitans bring a time warp to the Continental Club